The wife and I spent a great day yesterday looking but not finding. We searched for about 6 miles between 5.5 and 7k' in decent mule deer and elk habitat and saw plenty of sign but no antlers. Got in some good exercise and enjoyed perfect weather only 1 hour from the house. This was my wife's longest off trail hike with her bionic knees and she felt great, trekking poles make a big difference. Are they dropping yet in your area?


mike r

Not here in southern Oregon..... got a good month to go before I’d even bother looking.
I saw a good trophy Blacktail buck just yesterday and he was packing both of sides.

Been dropping up here for a couple weeks. Seen 3 shed out bucks the other day. Pards in Alberta been finding em for a couple weeks up there as well

Probably a few dropping here in west central Mo but I won't get out for a month or so. Let em all get dropped.

Running about 20 cameras that I'm keeping tabs on. 1 buck dropped and he looks like a youngster

Haven’t seen any bucks dropping yet.

Went looking today in Maryland, cuz one of the Bucks lost one side of his horns.
Didn't find anything, but hiked a bunch and got out in 25 degree weather.

One of the Bucks in Ohio lost an antler, before we left last week, so we'll look when we gat back.
Found 3 last year in Ohio behind the House!

One of the guys in our camp shot this guy on 12/3. Deer ran 75 yards and piled up. When he got to the deer there were no antlers, he had to go back and find them. Fell off during his death run. Deer was 6 1//2 which is ancient for these parts and he was run down pretty good after the rut. The rest of the deer are just starting to drop antlers now.

In Colorado, the CPW in their infinite wisdom says you can't hunt them until May. Bucks around here in the Colorado Springs area,still have all their antlers. Elk won't be dropping theirs for a few months yet

Can you go on nature walks in prime territory before then?

Glad he found 'em.

I was thinking about this and I was wondering.
The Date on your post is 12/3/21, from NY area, I'm gathering.
That's kinda early for a Buck to drop his Horns, I'm Guessing.
I think I might have that deer Tested! JMO!
A little Unusual, to me, even though we have found some sheds almost that early!
Don't know, and just thinking out loud.

HS58

I worked with an avid bow hunter and he figures that he shot a buck in late December that would have been near the state record. The trouble was it shed it’s antlers as he was dragging it out. He probably wishes that he would have dragged it by the foot. It is a given that because of their higher testosterone levels, the most viral animals shed their antlers sooner. I use that same analogy for being a little follicly challenged.

One of my employees found a fresh set this weekend. South central Kansas

The timber cutters found a matched set from a beautiful 8 point buck laying side by side last Friday and a small 3 point, its way early for PA, we don't normally even start looking till April Flave day !

Heck we aint even started the rut where I hunt deer yet. Next week maybe…..

A few nights ago my Golden Retriever brought in a fresh shed whitetail spike antler that she found in my fenced yard.

Got about 3 feet of snow on the ground & more coming.

It'll be a while before we see any on our place.

Been an interesting year for sure. I noticed my first wt that had dropped an antler on X-mas. Right now I am seeing 50% of the bucks have dropped.

A rancher I talked to in SE MT said his deer were dropping the end of November. Figured it was due to extreme drought conditions. I don't know.

Pulled a camera yesterday a 2 yr old 7pt that I had been getting pics of dropped his rack

In Georgia they are still toting their racks, saw a little 6 point and a funky spike this evening in the pasture.

Remember how I said we had a fair bit of snow ?

Alberta clipper last night - 10+" in 14 hours;





Skidoo, that I used on Sunday, for reference;

Not really a shed but a tear out. Found a 3 year old side with 5 points. Did not shed but was ripped from the skull. Does that count?

These idiots that hang out by my house won't start dropping till the end of Feb or early March. Of course the stag towards the right of the bunch won't drop his.